BLACK LIST OF FLORA OF THE CHECHEN REPUBLIC

This article was aimed at the inventory of the invasive flora of the Chechen Republic. The “black list” of the flora of the Chechen Republic has been compiled. According to the recommendations for regional Black Books, 79 species of the "blacklist" were divided into four groups with the assignment of invasive status. Three species are capable of changing the structure and composition of plant communities (status 1). Twelve species disperse actively in natural, semi-natural, and anthropogenic habitats (status 2), and 40 species occur in anthropogenic habitats (status 3). Twenty-four species were classified as potentially invasive (status 4). The article contributes to the accumulation of information about invasive processes in the Caucasus. It can be used for the regional Black Book and comparative analysis of the composition and structure of invasive flora of the Russian Federation regions.

Characterization of the complete chloroplast genome of the invasive plant Erigeron annuus (L.) Pers. (Asterales: Asteraceae)

Erigeron annuus (L.) Pers. (annual, daisy or tall fleabane) is an annual herb native to North America but has been introduced and naturalized worldwide. In this study, its complete chloroplast (cp) genome was assembled from Illumina sequencing reads. The cp genome is 153,177 bp long with an A + T-biased base composition. It encodes a panel of 113 genes, including 80 protein-coding, 29 tRNA, and four rRNA genes. Nineteen genes are completely or partially duplicated, while 17 genes possess one or two introns. Phylogenetic analysis suggested E. annuus is mostly closely related to Erigeron canadensis L. and that the two genera Conyza and Erigeron are not mutually monophyletic.

Plant Invasion Research in Russia: Basic Projects and Scientific Fields

This paper represents a review of comprehensive research into invasion biology done by Russian scholars for four decades. Invasion biology is a relatively new field of research focused on the study of alien plants, their behavior in new habitats and risks they pose to indigenous species. It is shown that over 40 years, single finds of alien plant species have transformed into a check-list of invasive species in Russia. The most significant invasion pathways were identified, and the rate of microevolutional changes in plant species in their secondary distribution range was determined. Since the most active alien species disperse without regard to national borders, international cooperation is crucial in joint studies of invasive species.